Orthopedics 222: Dropped Head Syndrome | CCEDseminars

• Clinical Orientation — framing dropped head syndrome, cervical myelopathy, and ALS within chiropractic orthopedic practice.
• Dropped Head Syndrome Presentation — posture, neck extensor weakness, fatigue, chin-on-chest appearance, and functional limitations.
• Neuromuscular and Neurologic Considerations — conditions contributing to head drop, weakness, and progressive cervical postural change.
• Cervical Myelopathy Recognition — gait disturbance, hand dexterity changes, sensory changes, upper motor neuron signs, and spinal cord red flags.
• ALS and Motor Neuron Disease Considerations — clinical patterns warranting heightened concern and referral.
• Neuro-Orthopedic Examination Strategy — reflexes, myotomes, sensory testing, coordination, gait, pathologic reflexes, and cervical motor control.
• Imaging and Referral Reasoning — organizing when MRI, EMG, neurologic consultation, or medical referral is appropriate.
• Differential Diagnosis and Red Flags — progressive weakness, falls, bilateral neurologic findings, bowel/bladder changes, dysphagia, dyspnea, and worsening neurologic signs.
• Clinical Documentation and Care Planning — recording findings, explaining clinical concern, documenting decision-making, and coordinating next steps.

Orthopedics 222 is a 2-hour online chiropractic CE course on dropped head syndrome and its serious mimics — cervical myelopathy, ALS, motor neuron disease, and other neuromuscular conditions. It builds a structured neuro-orthopedic evaluation strategy: presentation, examination, imaging and referral reasoning, red flags, and documentation. It is also listed as "Dropped Head Syndrome, Cervical Myelopathy, and ALS," and chiropractors may search for it as a cervical myelopathy course, a myelopathy red flags CE, or a neuro-ortho examination course.

Yes. CCEDseminars is PACE Provider #34015544, recognized by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB), with courses accepted in 40+ U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and international jurisdictions. Completions auto-report to CE Broker for states served. The full approval list for this course appears at the bottom of the page.

Difficulty holding the head upright — head drop, a forward-flexed posture, or a chin-on-chest appearance — can arise from cervical extensor weakness, but the same picture may signal cervical myelopathy, motor neuron disease, neuromuscular disorders, or spinal cord compression. Because the stakes of missing those mimics are high, Orthopedics 222 teaches the structured neuro-orthopedic evaluation that distinguishes mechanical, neurologic, and systemic contributors and triggers timely referral.

Orthopedics 222 awards 2 chiropractic CE hours. Your certificate is issued electronically the moment you complete the course and quiz, and is available in your CCEDseminars account. Completions auto-report to CE Broker for participating states.

Doctors who take Orthopedics 222 often add Orthopedics 205: Cervical Spine Instability, 214: Cauda Equina & Lumbar Radiculopathy, and 220: Cervicovagopathy — the red-flag recognition block. All Orthopedics 201–224 courses also count toward the 48-hour CCO certification.